My ancestors - O'Mara - Contents

O'Mara of Limerick

Formerly O'Meara of Toomyvara, Co.Tipperary

• References:
  • Papers of Patricia Lavelle in family possession.
  • O'Mara papers, in possession of Etienne Rynne.
  • O'Mara family tree, typed by unknown author.

  • O'MEARA in [O'Hart]

• Sources yet to be consulted:
  • Papers of Patricia Lavelle in [NLI]
    • Ms 21552 - full manuscript of biography
    • Ms 21543 - family papers, letters

The O'Meara family (O'Meadhra in Irish) are from Toomevara or Toomyvara, Aghnameadle par, E of Nenagh (on the Dublin road), N Co.Tipperary (see map).
The village is named after them - Tuaim ui Mheadhra (or Tuaim ui Mheara), "Tomb of the O'Mearas".
The O'Meara family is found in the area since at least the time of:

Alan O'Meara,
obtained a grant of lands around Ballymackey, Co.Tipperary, from the 2nd Earl of Ormonde in 1354.
Ballymackey is in Ballymackey par, NW of Toomyvara (between Toomyvara and Nenagh, see map).
The ruin of the tiny Ballymackey Castle survives today in the middle of a piggery.
From him probably descends the whole O'Meara family of that area (though of course there is no way of proving it).

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Our family

Grave of Margaret O'Mara (died 1863).
Close-up of Lynch / Spain / O'Mara grave. Mount St. Lawrence cemetery, Limerick.
Photo 2009. See larger and full size and other shot.

--- O'Meara,
or O'Mara,
of Toomyvara, Co.Tipperary,
the evidence for the spelling "O'Meara" in this generation is weak, James was said to be born with that spelling and changed it to O'Mara, but if so all his family changed too, they are "O'Mara" in just about all records,
mar Margaret ---- [born 1779 or 1785],
one O'Mara family tree says his wife was Margaret Casey of "Cloheen Mills",
that is, Casey of Clogheen is mother of James rather than his wife's mother,
see search for Casey marrying Foley or O'Mara,
James was said to have risen from "absolute poverty", but this may be an exaggeration, clearly his family were literate, and many ended up doing decent jobs,
more likely is simply that James started out poor compared to what he became later,

Margaret's burial record says she was living Roches St, Limerick, at death (would be living with her son James),
she died 23 Sept 1863, age 78 yrs [grave] or age 84 [burial record],
bur 24 Sept [burial record] in Lynch / O'Mara grave at Mount St. Lawrence cemetery, Limerick, erected by "James O'Mara", father of Bridget Cusack, "in memory of his mother",
she is spelt "Margaret O'Mara" on grave and in burial record,
had issue:

1. Andrew O'Mara,
   Andy,
   born 1817, Co.Tipperary,
   [Goodspeed, 1889] says Andrew O'Mara was native of Tipperary County,
   adopted spelling "O'Mara",
   went to London, Ontario, Canada.

   
   

2. James O'Mara (formerly O'Meara),
   born 1817, Toomyvara, Co.Tipperary,
   adopted spelling "O'Mara",
   founded the Limerick bacon factory,
   think his death notice refers to business as "J.J. O'Mara and Sons", (todo) see original.

   
   

3. John O'Meara, or O'Mara,
   went to Liverpool.

   
   

4. Francis O'Meara, or O'Mara,
   referred to as "Uncle Frank" by Martin J. O'Mara.

5. Michael O'Meara, or O'Mara.

6. Patrick O'Meara, or O'Mara,
   according to one version of O'Mara family tree.

   
   

7. (dau) O'Meara, or O'Mara,
   mar --- Kelly,
   this could be "Mary Meara" who mar 1835 [Toomyvara RC par records] to "James Kelly" from Garrane (prob. Garrane, Aghnameadle par, Co.Tipperary),
   note it was previously thought that James had a sister Mary who married Lynch,
   however it has been discovered that it was a sister of James' wife rather than a sister of James,
   so Mary could be the sister who mar Kelly,
   the Kellys lived in Liverpool,
   had issue:
   1. (dau) Kelly,
      mar --- Murray,
      lived Liverpool,
      had issue:
      1. (son) Murray,
         when Fr. Paddy O'Mara was in France in WWI he had a batman named Murray who claimed to be his cousin and who came from Liverpool.
      2. (other issue) Murray, lived Liverpool.

   
   

8. ---- O'Meara, or O'Mara, had issue:
   1. Nora ----,
      "Your old cousin Nora" writes to Stephen O'Mara 1892 from Loreto Convent, Wexford (she must be a nun),
      she seems to refer to James O'Mara (formerly O'Meara) as her uncle.

Margaret O'Mara (died 1863) is spelt "O'Mara" on grave.
Detail of above. See full size.

Martin J. O'Mara (or O'Meara) uses the old spelling "O'Meara" in letter 1872.
Though in another letter he uses "O'Mara".
See full size.

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Unidentified O'Meara / O'Mara photos

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Miscellaneous O'Mara's and O'Meara's

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• Toomyvara is in the RC par of Aghnameadle and Toomyvara, par records don't start until 1830.

• O'Meara and O'Mara
• O'Meara surname discussion forum
• O'Mara surname discussion forum

• Castletroy Park Hotel (or here), Dublin Rd, Limerick, has conference rooms (and here) called:
  • The O'Mara Suite.
  • The O'Brien Suite.
  • The Barrington Suite.